Remembering Reema Lagoo

Born: 21 June 1958, Mumbai
Died: 18 May 2017, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute, Mumbai
Reema Lagoo is known for playing moms to big stars like Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan.
Reema Lagoo was born Gurinder Bhadbhade in 1958. Her mother was actress Mandakini Bhadbhade who was known for the drama Lekure udand Jaahalee on the Marathi stage. Lagoo's acting abilities were noted when she was a student at the Huzurpaga HHCP High School in Pune. Her professional acting started soon after finishing high school. Her first acting job was on the Marathi stage.
In late 1970s or early 1980s, she started acting in Hindi and Marathi films. Upon her marriage to Marathi actor Vivek Lagoo, she took the name Reema Lagoo. The couple separated a few years later. They have a daughter named Mrunmayee who is also a stage and film actress as well as theatre director.
Lagoo has mostly acted in supporting roles with some of the biggest names in the Hindi film industry. Starting out with television serials, she rose in prominence with the film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) where she played Juhi Chawla's mother. She was seen in a controversial role in Aruna Raje's Rihaee (1988). She then starred in the blockbuster film Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) as Salman Khan's mother and then in Saajan (1991), a superhit success at the box office. After this she starred in action drama and crime thriller Gumrah (1993) as Sridevi's mother and Jai Kishen (1994) as Akshay Kumar's mother. Gumrah (1993) was seventh-highest grosser of the year at the box office, Jai Kishen (1994) was a commercial success thus declared 'semihit'.
She has starred in some of the biggest hits in the industry including the family drama Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994), Yeh Dillagi (1994), Dilwale (1994), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), and Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003).
Mostly playing a middle age mother in films, earlier in her career she also played a dancer in Aakrosh (1980) and a cold-hearted businesswoman in Yeh Dillagi (1994). In 1990s she starred opposite Supriya Pilgaonkar in the television serial Tu Tu Main Main and starred in Shrimaan Shrimati. Her role in Marathi suspense film Bindhast was well appreciated.
She delivered a challenging role in Vaastav: The Reality (1999), portraying Don's (Sanjay Dutt) mother who kills her son. One of her most notable performances can be seen in a little-known movie Rui Ka Bojh (1997) with Pankaj Kapur and Raghuvir Yadav.
Lagoo has appeared on the Marathi show Maanacha Muzra, which honours Marathi personalities. It is similar, in format, to the American radio and TV show This is your life.
Nominated awards
• 1990 - Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for Maine Pyar Kiya
• 1991 - Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for Aashiqui
• 1995 - Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!
• 2000 - Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for Vaastav: The Reality
Veteran actress Reema Lagu breathed her last on May 18,2017 at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai.